When hosting, each year you try to make this Thanksgiving easier than the last, and every year you end up spending more time running around the house than enjoying your guests.We want to help change that so here are some tips to help you prepare in advance to help you de-stress when your guests arrive! Whether you are entertaining multiple families or you are having a small intimate gathering, Thanksgiving is to be enjoyed by the host, too. Here are some tips to help you prepare your home, and your meal for a Thanksgiving that will be remembered for years to come.
- Invite your guests now! While you may want to try to have an ‘open door’ policy that anyone who wants to drop by on Thanksgiving is welcome, this tens to make for an uncertainty in planning. Inviting guests now allows you ample time to invite a few more guests if you’d like. This will help you budget for food, time, chairs…and your nerves!
- Choose your menu well in advance! Consider going through family traditional recipes in your cookbooks, or visiting your favorite food blogs, or websites for ideas. If choosing a potluck, plan out a list of what type of food you’d like guests to bring and advise them once they accept the invitation.
- Plan your holiday table! Whether you prefer a formal dining experience or you will go with a casual dinner, plan table linen, dinnerware, seats, and serving ware now. Add a pop of color when picking the table linen or place a few pumpkins around for decor. Planning in advance helps lessen the stress the morning of.
- Prep your kitchen! After you have planned the meal, make sure to prep your kitchen with plenty of serving utensils, and plan where the food will be served. This will help you when preparing food and for the ease of serving. This also will help guests find what they need easily without asking you where items are!
- Enjoy your guests! While this step isn’t about preparation, it is the most important step! The holidays only come around once a year, and Thanksgiving is a time to cherish those around you, and give thanks for having loved ones near.
We hope you find these tips helpful when preparing for your Thanksgiving holiday meal and home. Remember to keep an open mind and be flexible when planning, to help lessen the stress that comes when hosting. Every detail doesn’t have to be thought out and your guests will be thankful for you opening up your home to have them over to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday together!